Messi Breaks FIFA World Cup Record for Most Penalties Taken and Missed
Lionel Messi made headlines at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but not for reasons fans would hope. After missing a penalty against Egypt, he set the record for both the most penalties taken and missed in World Cup history, excluding shootouts.
An Unwanted Milestone
During Argentina's Round of 16 clash with Egypt, Messi missed a penalty early in the first half, marking his eighth penalty attempt in World Cup matches. No other player had reached this number before. With that miss, he also hit four missed penalties, the highest in tournament history.
Additionally, Messi became the first player to miss two penalties within the same World Cup edition, having also failed to convert a spot-kick against Austria in the group stage.
Messi’s Missed Penalties in FIFA World Cups
- Russia 2018: Missed against Iceland
- Qatar 2022: Missed against Poland
- 2026 FIFA World Cup: Missed against Austria
- 2026 FIFA World Cup: Missed against Egypt
Despite these misses, Messi has scored several important penalties, especially during the Qatar 2022 tournament where he converted four penalties en route to Argentina’s World Cup victory.
